The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating an imported shipment of rice protein concentrate which has been found to contain melamine. The rice protein concentrate may have been used as an ingredient in some pet foods. FDA’s investigation of the rice protein is being carried out by specialists in FDA headquarters and in eight FDA district offices. Thus far, the following has been established:
- The suspect shipment of rice protein concentrate was imported and offloaded
during the week of April 2, 2007 by Wilbur-Ellis, an importer and distributor
of agricultural products, including rice protein concentrate, with headquarters
in San Francisco, CA. The source of the product is identified as Binzhou
Futian Biological Technology in China.
- The shipment consisted primarily
of rice protein concentrate in white bags, but also included one pink bag
that was labeled, in part, with the word “melamine.”
- On April
15, Wilbur-Ellis notified FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine
about the suspect shipment. On April 16, FDA launched a nationwide investigation
tracing eight import entries identified as being shipped from the Chinese
firm since July 2006. FDA testing revealed melamine in both the white
and pink bags.
- Wilbur-Ellis has initiated a recall of all suspect rice
protein concentrate it had imported and distributed; see http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/wilburellis04_07.html.
FDA investigators have obtained records showing distribution to five pet food
manufacturers in seven locations. Investigators are currently inspecting
all five manufacturers and collecting additional samples, as appropriate.
- FDA initiated inspections at Royal Canin USA and C.J. Foods and, as a result,
both companies have voluntarily recalled certain products; see http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/royalcanin04_07.html and http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/bluebuffalo04_07.html.
- FDA
also has confirmed the presence of melamine in finished pet food products
containing rice protein concentrate. Those products, and others within
the same product line, are currently under recall by Natural Balance Pet
Foods and are labeled as: Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods;
Venison and Brown Rice dog treats; and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food;
see http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/naturalbalance04_07.html.
If FDA’s investigation determines that additional pet food products
have been manufactured from the suspect rice protein concentrate, FDA will
expect manufacturers to initiate voluntary actions to remove these products
from the marketplace. FDA will continue to communicate its findings promptly.
In a related development, the California Department of Food and Agriculture
(CDFA) issued a press release on April 19, 2007, stating that CDFA laboratory
testing had detected melamine in urine from hogs at the American Hog Farm in
Ceres, CA. For further information, see: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/pa/pressreleases/PressRelease.asp?PRnum=CDFA07-038.
Due to the involvement of animal feed, FDA is working with CDFA on this development.
FDA continues to work comprehensively to protect the nation’s pet food
as well as to conduct a full investigation to determine any impact on the human
food supply. The agency is now sampling all rice protein concentrate
from China and continues to sample all wheat gluten imported from China, and
it is ready to increase its surveillance of other products, if necessary.
To search for the latest list of recalled products, which will be updated
when new information is received, please see: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/.
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